Due to the oxidizing effects of molten metal, components of pumps in the molten metal inevitably wear out. Such components that wear out include the shaft for driving the rotor and the pump posts that support the base in the molten metal. When assembling a pump, a fixture may be used for aligning the posts relative to the base especially when cement is used. Cement is used to secure the posts to the base or to cap a bolt on the bottom of the base to prevent intrusion of molten metal. Once the pump is lifted from the molten metal to replace the posts, the usage of cement becomes problematic. The cement needs to be removed with a chisel since it is harder than the surrounding graphite of the base and resists machining After chiseling to remove the cement, the shapes of the holes that receive the posts become distorted. Thus, preparing the base to receive new posts becomes a labor intensive, drawn out process. Chiseling out the cement and possibly drilling new holes to receive replacement posts, aligning the posts and curing the cement holding the posts or caps in place can take two days. Thus, an improved pump and method for replacing posts without the need for cement would be advantageous.